Fr. John M. GlynnFrom: OLFr. John M. Glynn OL Founder and Patron of YACA Founder and Patron of
YACA <jonmglyn@gmail.com> jonmglyn@gmail.com Phone: 711 806 91
711 806 91
THE BIRTH OF YACA - 2 John M. Glynn Reciting the YACA Pledge/Affirmation every day is intended to constantly remind a person that this is who you are born to be - it is who you really are. Unfortunately, the pressure to tolerate and accept the widespread practices of dishonesty, corruption, greed and abusive behaviour is very great. If we yield to the pressure to accept and adopt these very negative attitudes of tolerance, we do ourselves damage. We can develop a deep sense of shame and guilt, as we see ourselves as less than we should be - less worthy, less valued - and when we have a negative self-image, we fail to develop genuine self-confidence and personal pride. In 2002 I began to organise a YACA Forum once a month. The aim was to provide our young ‘pledgers’ with a regular event at which they could meet, talk, share and encourage each other. Students brought their friends from other schools and soon there were YACA Pledgers in every school in Port Moresby. The YACA Forum took place on the first Saturday of the month. A keynote speaker then addressed the Forum. Speakers included Governor General Sir Paulias Matane, Dame Carol Kidu, Sir Mekere Morauta. Prominent people leapt at the chance to support these Forums. Topics varied widely. After the address the young people broke into discussion groups that later presented their comments and proposals to the Forum. The reports were collated and a paper was produced summarising the results and conclusions. The event finished up with refreshments - sometimes a sausage sizzle - and general mingling and sharing together. Transparency International began providing secretarial services for YACA and took responsibility for organising events. The Forums were scaled down considerably. YACA was promoted at the annual Mike Manning Youth Democracy Camps and soon there were YACA Pledgers in schools all over the country. The YACA Affirmation is powerfully attractive to young people. However, YACA Groups have generally failed to develop outside the school environment. The Groups have failed to combine. It was my hope that young leaders would take effective, proactive ownership of YACA, and develop the movement into a national association that would both provide an effective voice for its members. We should be seeing YACA as the Youth Against Corruption Alliance instead of as an Association. Pledgers who adopt the Affirmation and recite it every day to remind themselves of the need to be always resistant of corruption can be members of any youth group, Church group, sports team, or social group of any kind. There are so many other youth movements, groups and teams out there and YACA should not be in competition with any of them. An Alliance of ‘pledgers’ who publicly and outspokenly reject all forms of corruption will serve to support the groups to which the ‘pledgers’ belong and make them morally stronger. If pledgers want to form a group they may do so. However, the Affirmation is not about ‘we’ or ‘us. It is about the one - ‘I’, ‘me’- self-aware, self-believing, self-confident.
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